Numbers 1:51 Meaning and Explanation
“And when the tabernacle setteth forward, the Levites shall take it down: and when the tabernacle is to be pitched, the Levites shall set it up: and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →The Levites will assemble and disassemble the tabernacle during camp movements, and non-Levites must not touch it.
The Context of Numbers 1:51
The Levites' moving duties and the sanctity of the tabernacle.
What Does Numbers 1:51 Mean?
The Levites hold a specific responsibility: to take down the tabernacle when Israel moves and to set it up when they camp. This ongoing task requires skill, organization, and dedication to the sacred object.
The warning that 'the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death' emphasizes the absolute sanctity of the tabernacle and the severity of breaching the boundary established between the holy and the common. Only the Levites possess the ritual purity to handle the sacred structure.
Numbers 1:51 in the Original Language
setteth forward (נָסַע, nasa), 'journeys' or 'sets forward' — moves from one place to another.
Frequently Asked Questions About Numbers 1:51
What does Numbers 1:51 mean?
The Levites will assemble and disassemble the tabernacle during camp movements, and non-Levites must not touch it.
What is the context of Numbers 1:51?
The Levites' moving duties and the sanctity of the tabernacle.